Namco Bandai was very smart to entrust their classic character and brand to this tiny team of Aussie mobile developers.

The result is a game that is genuinely unique. Classy in tone and hugely interesting in design, this is a game that is worth supporting simply on that basis; there's some elements that don't work as well as they should, but then that's the consequence of experimentation. What is important is that the game is deeply playable, very creative, and hugely entertaining as a result.

For all my quibbles regarding Tales of Xillia 2 from a general design standpoint, it still manages to shake up the series’ formula in the right ways.

SeaBed is a beautiful game. Some pacing issues aside, it's a poignant exploration of love and heartbreak that manages to feel both grounded and ethereal. One thing's for sure: this isn't a game I'll forget in a hurry.

Between the various modes, the online options, the huge cast of unlockable and upgradeable characters, you will not lack for things to do.

Bright Memory: Infinite doesn’t waste time. It goes in, gives you a hell of a time, and then ducks out before it has the chance to overstay its welcome. I hope the developer isn’t done from here, as I’d love to see more of Bright Memory (and Shelia!) in the future. In the meantime, this big action, relentless energy and visually spectacular experience is a true rollercoaster thrill-ride, and is worth every cent on the admission ticket.

Mushroom Wars 2 is the ideal casual strategy game. It has the potential to be much more than it is – the lack of a story to go with the gorgeous characters and art design is unforgivable – but nonetheless this is the perfect example of how to make something simple and elegant, while leaving just enough in there for people to feel like their strategic brain muscles are being flexed. As I said at the outset, Mushroom Wars 2 is a delight.

The Room is an expertly crafted puzzle box game that does a whole lot of things right and I doubt anyone would have regrets picking this one up.

The Devil’s Whisper is so niche that as far as I can tell I’m the first one that’s reviewed it, anywhere. Including user reviews on Steam. It’s a pity that it’s going to fly under the radar like that, because it’s a fun blend of a homage to B-horror movies with its own unique identity. It is also clearly a work that the developers cared about a lot, given the effort that went into designing the narrative and the voice acting. I do think the art has let it down and made it difficult to convert people on the Steam page into buyers, but I recommend looking past that, because this is a decent VN worth your time.

While it’s a slightly limited experience, Vietnam ’65 impresses with its novel mechanics, interesting setting and entertaining gameplay. True innovation is rare in the wargaming world, but this title has it by the Huey-load. And, with its super-budget price, this is one game that all strategy fans can afford to try.

ArmaGallant is a budget production, and that means that it will likely not sustain the community that a game of its nature needs. I’m already finding myself queuing for ten minutes at time to get a match going, and that’s really disappointing, because this is one I could see myself playing for quite a while yet, given half the chance. It also helps that I am, to date, actually undefeated. Bring on a world championships and those eSports sponsorships, please, I want to turn pro at ArmaGallant.

I would say Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is a release for the more hardcore side of the Taiko fanbase, but that would be overlooking the sheer joy and accessibility of the main game. Perhaps I’m merely bitter at the lack of supplementary features, shallow party modes, and a somewhat cynical subscription service that makes Rhythm Festival lag behind Drum ‘n’ Fun. But ultimately, this is more Taiko, and more Taiko is good. It’s not my favourite of Bandai Namco’s outings on the Nintendo console, but it’s not without its charm either.

Stick it to the Man! is a game anyone can enjoy. With an accessible framework and fantastic writing throughout the whole experience, it is certainly a unique title that most people should not miss.

These two games are straight ports that have been thrown on the Switch to introduce newer players to the No More Heroes series, but they are worth revisiting because it's truly impressive how little they seem to age. Do we have faster-paced and more complex brawlers now thanks to the likes of Devil May Cry V? Sure. However No More Heroes is its own beast because it blends its punkish attitude and humour in with a surrealistic bent and some of the most memorable boss battles you'll ever play in video games. For these reasons, Suda's classics are every bit as entertaining and brash as ever, and it's great that they continue to be available to players on current consoles.

Despite the obtuseness of its gameplay, Reigns is a game full of interesting design choices that intermingle narrative and gameplay to create something you’ll be thinking about for weeks on end. This is a deceptively deep game you’d be happy to keep coming back to. It is novel, with high production values, and there’s bound to be some aspect of this game that will have you hooked.

Deemo - Reborn - is still up there with the best rhythm games on the PlayStation 4, and while the Nintendo Switch Deemo very much felt like a port of a mobile title, -Reborn- has that premium presentation and design that give us a sense of where the series might yet go into the future. There aren't enough rhythm games that make the piano the central instrument, and Deemo is an elegant example of how to take an elegant, classical instrument and spin it into an interesting rhythm game.

Is Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection for everyone? No, it most definitely is not. It’s a very deliberate game that demands to be played on its own terms. That means accepting Arthur’s slower, more deliberate movements, the realities of a single jump, fixed arc system for platforming, and a brutal difficulty curve that rewards patient play, all the while gently mocking you when you cross one threshold only to be ground into a fine paste by the very next trap.

A clever, well balanced and highly cerebral game which will be sure to delight fighting and strategy fans.

It’s true that Bullet Soul Infinite Burst doesn’t offer the obvious new stages, characters, or difficulty options that would have guaranteed a double dip for fans of the original. Despite this, Infinite Burst warrants existing because of a single new mode that is so endlessly captivating. If nothing else, Bullet Soul is a game worth owning for fans of 2D shooters and this is the definitive way to do so.

There’s still plenty of fanservice in Nekopara; the girls have good taste in underwear, that’s for sure, and there’s plenty of flirtatious dialogue and risqué implications, but it all comes across as playful, and reinforces the rest of the game’s silly tone. And for that, it's absolutely delightful.

These two games are straight ports that have been thrown on the Switch to introduce newer players to the No More Heroes series, but they are worth revisiting because it's truly impressive how little they seem to age. Do we have faster-paced and more complex brawlers now thanks to the likes of Devil May Cry V? Sure. However No More Heroes is its own beast because it blends its punkish attitude and humour in with a surrealistic bent and some of the most memorable boss battles you'll ever play in video games. For these reasons, Suda's classics are every bit as entertaining and brash as ever, and it's great that they continue to be available to players on current consoles.

Hot off the heels of the recent Kromaia Omega, which defied genre conventions at every turn, DariusBurst is there to remind players that traditional 2D shooters can still put up a fight. The arcade mode alone provides dozens of well-spent hours to genre fans and is enough to cover up for the gratuitous padding elsewhere.

I was disappointed that The Lost Child failed so completely to do something meaningful with the Lovecraftian concept. In fact, the game has so completely missed the mark on that that it’s almost insulting that the developers used names like “Hastor” and “Cthulhu” to describe your foes, rather than replace them with more original monster names. Once I settled past that disappointment, though, I discovered that The Lost Child is also a game that so cleanly represents everything good about the dungeon crawler genre that I found it hard to put down. The fact that it’s the perfect introduction to the dungeon crawler genre also makes it the perfect first example on the new hardware.

Tachyon Project does not reinvent the wheel for twin stick shooters, but it does add some creative new tread that allows it to feel familiar yet fresh at the same time. There are plenty of modes, challenges and customisations to try out, so fans of the genre should have plenty to keep them busy throughout their time with it.

Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash was a blast. Quick paced arena combat supported by a well designed card based system and multiple storylines to follow, this has to have been my favorite entry yet and with the quality online competition modes online modes there’s more than enough replayability to keep going for quite some time.

This latest one is the most accessible and easy to follow yet, but it is still a spreadsheet simulator, and it services a very niche audience.

The Vita has, much like the PSP before it, become a great home to offbeat JRPG experiences. Oreshika expertly blends a simulation experience with JRPG elements to create an entertaining experience with a few rough edges around the exploration and storyline. It has a unique flavour worth investing time into.

Idol Manager really needs a console release - the scope and design of the game makes it perfect for the Nintendo Switch in particular - but in the meantime, I can see myself spending a lot of time playing this on the PC. I'm not the world's biggest fan of idols (at least, idols that aren't digital and with aquamarine twintail hair), but I do find the culture behind them fascinating to study. Idol Manager is a far more thoughtful take on all of this than I was expecting, and consequently, I've found the whole thing to be fascinating.